.United States Army Decorations.

The Medal of Honor[MOH]

Authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln,
12 Jul 1862.

This is the highest honor the United States can bestow on members of its Armed
Forces.
It is only presented by the President and is awarded in the name of Congress.

Awarded "For Conspicuous Gallantry and Intrepidity at the Risk of Life,
Above and Beyond the Call of Duty,
in Action involving Actual Conflict with an Opposing Armed Force."

Persons on the Medal of Honor Roll, and otherwise eligible, may, upon
application,
qualify for a special lifetime pension of $400 per month.

Congress legislated the creation of a Medal
of Honor Flag for presentation to each person to whom a Medal of Honor
is awarded after
the date of the enactment, 23 Oct 2002. On 15 DEC 2004, the design submitted
by Sarah Le Clerc, The Institute of Heraldry, was approved.

On 17 Oct 2006, Congress established authority to award the Medal
of Honor Flag, upon written request, to the primary next-of-kin
of deceased Medal of Honor Recipients, as determined under regulations or
procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense.

(Awarded to U.S. Air Force personnel until 1965)

{The Medal of Honor is protected from
all sale, trade, or exchange by United States Code;
Title 18, Part I, Chapter 33, Section 704.}

Designed by Bailey & Co.

The Distinguished Service Cross[DSC]

Established by order of President Woodrow Wilson, 02 JAN 1918, confirmed
by Congress, 09 Jul 1918.

Awarded to members of the U.S. Army serving after
06 APR 1917, who distinguish themselves by;

"Extraordinary Heroism in Connection with Military Operations Against
anOpposing Armed Force."

Title 10, US Code 3991, provides for a 10% increase in retired pay for
enlisted personnel,
who have retired with more than 20 years of service, if they have been awarded
the Distinguished Service Cross.

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

(Awarded to U.S. Air Force personnel until 1960)

Original design of the first 100 DSCs minted.
These were numbered and quickly sent to France for award to U.S. personnel
fighting there.

The design was "cleaned up" and the original DSCs were later
to be returned and replaced.

Designed by LTC Aymar Embury, USACE;
Sculpted by CPL Gaetano Cecere.

The Defense Distinguished Service Medal

Established by order of President Richard Nixon on 09 JUL 1970.

Awarded by the Secretary of Defense to military officers for;

"Exceptionally Meritorious Service in a Duty ofGreat Responsibility."

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army.

The Homeland Security Distinguished Service Medal

Established by order of President George H.W. Bush, as the
U.S. Department of Transportation Distinguished Service Medal, 07
DEC 1992.

On 28 FEB 2003, by order of President George W. Bush, the DOT version
was replaced by
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security version, retroactive to 01
MAR 2002.

On 05 APR 2011, by order of President Barack Obama, the order further
amended
the award eligibility from "a member of the U.S. Coast Guard"
to
"any member of the Armed Forces of the United States".

"Exceptionally Meritorious Service in a Duty ofGreat Responsibility
while assigned to the
Department of Homeland Security, or in other activities under the
responsibility of
the Secretary of Homeland Security, either national or international..."

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by a 5/16-inch gold star;
a 5/16-inch silver star is worn in lieu of five gold.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army.

The Distinguished Service Medal [DSM]

Established by order of President Woodrow Wilson, on 02 JAN 1918, confirmed
by Congress on 09 JUL 1918.

Awarded to personnel of the U.S. Army serving after
06 APR 1917, who distinguished themselves by;

"Exceptionally Meritorious Service to the Government in aDuty of
Great Responsibility."

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

(Awarded to U.S. Air Force personnel until 1960)

Designed by LTC Aymar Embury, USACE;
Sculpted by CPL Gaetano Cecere.

The Silver Star

Authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson,
09 JUL 1918.

"For each Citation received by U.S. Army personnel for gallantry
in action,
not sufficient to warrant the Medal of Honor or the Distinguished Service
Cross"

A 'Silver Star', 3/16-inch in diameter was authorized for wear on the suspension
and service ribbons
of appropriate service medals (World War I Victory Medal). This award was
called the 'Citation Star'.

On 08 Aug 1932, this decoration was revised by Congress and redesigned to
its present form;

"For Gallantry in Action Against an Opposing Armed Force."

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

The Silver Star medal was awarded only by the Army until 7 Aug 1942, when
it was also authorized for the Navy Department
and retroactive to 7 Dec 1941. Subsequent awards by the Navy are denoted by
5/16-inch gold and silver star devices.

Designed by Rudolf Freund of Bailey, Banks, and Biddle.

The Defense Superior Service Medal

Established by order of President Gerald Ford, 06 Feb 1976.

Awarded by the Secretary of Defense to members of the Armed Forces for;

"Superior Meritorious Service in a Duty of Great Responsibilitywhile
Assigned to a Joint Activity."

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army.

The Legion of Merit

Authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt,
10 JUL 1942,
in four degrees:Chief Commander, Commander, Officer, and Legionnaire;

Awarded to personnel of Armed Forces of friendly, foreign nations
and personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States and The Philippines.
Awarded for actions since President Franklin Roosevelt's Proclamation of Emergency,
08 Sep 1939;

"For Exceptionally Meritorious Conduct in the Performance of
Outstanding Service."

This is as close as the United States has come to creating an order of the
European type. It is the first, specific decoration
awarded to foreigners and the first decoration of the United States to be
awarded in different degrees:

General or Flag
Officer below the equivalent of a U.S. Military Chief of Staff;
Colonel or equivalent rank for service in assignments equivalent to
those normally
held by a General or Flag Officer in U.S. Military service; or Military
Attachés.

(enclosing
documentary evidence, if possible), to each member of the U.S. Armed Forces
who, after 6 December 1941, has been cited in orders or awarded a certificate
for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy between 07
December 1941 and 02 September 1945, inclusive, or whose meritorious achievement
has been otherwise confirmed by documents executed prior to 01 July 1947.
For this purpose, an award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or Combat
Medical Badge is considered as a citation in orders...

(3)
Upon letter application, award of the Bronze Star Medal may be made to eligible
soldiers who participated in the Philippine Islands Campaign between 07
December 1941 to 10 May 1942. Performance of duty must have been on the
island of Luzon or the Harbor Defenses in Corregidor and
Bataan. Only soldiers who were awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation
(Presidential Unit Citation) may be awarded this decoration. Letter application
should be sent to the same address above."

ATTENTION CANADIAN VETERANS OF 1ST SPECIAL SERVICE FORCE

WASHINGTON,D.C. - 18 Aug 2006–
The Army has authorized award of the Bronze Star Medal for Service to the
living Canadian veterans of the 1st Special Service Force for their service
to the U.S. Army during World War II. Although
approved for the unit as a whole, the almost 120 eligible veterans must
submit verification documents showing their complete name, rank, service
number, and dates of service when they apply for the medal.

Eligible veterans may send their request and copies of their verification
documents to:

A Bronze "V" device is worn to denote
Valor/Heroism.
Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

Designed by Bailey, Banks, and Biddle.

The Purple Heart

Originally established by General and Commander-in-Chief George
Washington, on 07 AUG 1782,
at Newburgh on the Hudson, New York, as an award for outstanding military
merit and called the
'Badge of Merit'.

The award was in the form of an embroidered, heart-shaped,
badge of purple cloth and bestowed on only three noncommissioned officers.
Though never officially abolished it was not again awarded for almost
one hundred and fifty years. Upon its revival in 1932 as the Purple
Heart medal, the new decoration was to be awarded in two categories:

"For being wounded in action, in any war or campaign, under
conditions which entitle the wearing of a wound
chevron."

"For those persons who perform any singularly meritorious act
of
extraordinary fidelity or essential service."

In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt issued an Executive Order
which provided that the Purple Heart would be made available to members
of all the U.S. Armed Forces who were wounded in action. Since
then, the Purple Heart has become one of the most highly respected
decorations of the U.S. Armed Forces. The decoration holds a very
unique position in that it can be earned in only one way, by being
wounded as a direct result of enemy actions.
For additional reading, see The Army
Wound Ribbon.

18 MAR 2011

Army Directive 2011-07 (Awarding of the
Purple Heart). These changes are effective immediately.

The following nonexclusive list
provides examples of signs, symptoms, or medical conditions
documented by a medical officer or medical professional that
meet the standard for award of the Purple Heart:

(1)

Diagnosis of concussion or mild traumatic brain
injury;

(2)

Any period of loss or a decreased level of
consciousness;

(3)

Any loss of memory of events immediately before
or after the injury;

(4)

Neurological deficits (weakness, loss of balance,
change in vision, praxis (that is, difficulty with coordinating
movements), headaches, nausea, difficulty with understanding
or expressing words, sensitivity to light, etc.) that may or
may not be transient; and,

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

Designed by Elizabeth Will and sculpted by John Sinnoc.

The Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Established by order of President Jimmy Carter on 03 Nov 1977.

Awarded to military officers for;

"Exceptionally Meritorious Service in a Duty of Great Responsibilitywhile Assigned to a Joint Activity."

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army.

The Meritorious Service Medal

Established by order of President Lyndon Johnson,
on 16 JAN 1969, as an award primarily for;

"Outstanding Non-combat Meritorious Achievement or
Service to the United States"

by any member of the U.S. Armed Forces. Some portion
of the completed service or achievement must have been made on or after
16 JAN 1969. In actuality,
this decoration could be described as a 'Fifth Class' or grade of the
Legion of Merit and finally one that could
be awarded to enlisted personnel. This is exemplified by the reversal
of the color (red-purple instead of purple-red) of the ribbon of the
Legion of Merit.

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

Designed by Jay C. Morris, The Institute of Heraldry,
U.S. Army.

The Air Medal

Established by order of President Franklin Roosevelt on 11 MAY 1942.

Members of the U.S. Armed Forces must have distinguished themselves after
08 SEP 1939;

Oak Leaf Clusters were initially used
to denote subsequent awards of the Air Medal, but
the numbers of additional awards became so great, during the Vietnam War,
that the OLC's did not fit on the ribbon.
As a result, the policy was changed, in Sep 1968, to require the use of Numerals.

U.S. Air Force:

Valor device authorized only after Oct 2004. Continues use
of OLC devices, extra ribbons used to accommodate more than four devices.

U.S. Air Force Auxiliary:

Awarded to Civil Air Patrol WWII veterans for service in
the anti-submarine patrol program, with Valor device & OLC's.

U.S. Coast Guard:

Awarded with 5/16-inch Gold Star for second & subsequant
awards, one 5/16-inch Silver Star in lieu of five gold. No Valor device
authorized.

U.S. Navy & Marine Corps:

Gold Arabic Numerals denote award for Individual acts of
merit, above or to wearer's right of other devices. Valor device authorized
in center location. Bronze Arabic Numerals denote Strike/Flight awards,
below or to wearer's left of other devices.

BERLIN AIRLIFT AWARDS
The Air Medal was awarded for the completion of 50 flights into Berlin.
An Oak Leaf Cluster was awarded for each additional 50 flights.

as an award to any member of the U.S. Armed Forces, in pay grades O-6 and
below, who is distinguished by

"Meritorious Achievement or Service while Assigned to a Joint
Activity."

The degree of merit need not be unique but must be distinctive.
A Bronze "V" device is worn to
denote Valor/Heroism in Combat.

Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army

The Army Commendation Medal[ARCOM]

Established by order of President Franklin Roosevelt in 1945.
The medal pendant was added in 1949.

Awarded to members of the U.S. Army, in pay grades O-6 and below, on or after
07 DEC 1941;

"For Heroism, Meritorious Achievement, or Meritorious Service"

Award may be made to members of the Armed Forces of a friendly foreign
nation who, after 01 JUN 1962,
distinguishes himself by an act of heroism, extraordinary achievement,
or meritorious service which has been of mutual benefit
to a friendly nation and the United States.

A Bronze "V" device is worn to denote
Valor/Heroism in Combat.
Second and subsequent awards are denoted by bronze Oak
Leaf Clusters;
a silver Oak Leaf Cluster is worn in lieu of five bronze.

(Awarded to U.S. Air Force personnel until 1958)

Designed by The Institute of Heraldry, U.S. Army

The Joint Service Achievement Medal

Established by order of President Ronald Reagan, 29 MAR 1984.

This medal is generally awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces in Officer
pay grades O-4 and below and Enlisted pay grades E-7 and below.